Simpson, Bohr score Climate Seal Insulation Indee Open Series wins at Fayette County Raceway
By Ryan Clark

WEST UNION, Iowa (May 22) – For the fifth consecutive season, the Climate Seal Insulation Indee Open Series made a visit to Fayette County Raceway. The first of three such events scheduled for West Union this season, the program offered exciting wheel-to-wheel action all night long on the multi-groove 3/8-mile oval, including plenty of late race drama.

In the 40-lap late model headliner, Darrel DeFrance was in search of his first series victory. The veteran, who has amassed over 100 late model wins in his career, appeared to be on his way until late-race contact from another driver ended his strong run.

At the drop of the green, outside front row starter DeFrance powered into the lead. Pole-sitter Jon Passick settled into second with Ace Ihm, who started inside the fourth row, mastering the bottom groove on his way into third place on lap two.

As DeFrance quickly distanced himself from the field, Ihm, Jeff Aikey and Jeff Bair battled behind him. The trio swapped positions and racing grooves multiple times over the ensuing 10 laps while DeFrance continued to extend his advantage.

Darin Duffy, who started in the fifth row, worked the high groove around his competitors and also entered the battle at the front of the pack. Curt Martin followed Duffy on the high side and Chad Simpson ran the bottom groove through the field to make it a six-car battle a short time later.

DeFrance was working through lapped traffic when the caution flag waved on lap 13. Although the backmarkers were removed from his path on the restart, the six-car freight train realigned right behind him in two-wide formation.

When racing resumed, DeFrance immediately went back to work on the high side of speedway, again pulling away to a sizable lead. The leaders all settled into the high groove behind the race leader, trying to find a way to cut into his margin.

Around the midway point Aikey and Simpson took their chances on the bottom groove. Aikey pulled under DeFrance a number of times through the corners, but was never able to take over the point. Meanwhile, Simpson picked off Duffy and Bair to settle into fourth on lap 23.

The race was slowed for caution a final time on lap 24. Aikey and Ihm restarted on the leader’s rear bumper with Simpson and Bair close behind. Ihm worked below Aikey and then edged ahead of DeFrance through the corners, however he too was unable to secure the top spot.

As Ihm worked on DeFrance, Simpson shot under Aikey to take third place with only 11 laps remaining. Six laps later, Simpson worked around Ihm and set his sights on DeFrance.

As the field exited turn four to take the flying green, Simpson attempted to pass the leader in the low groove. Simpson slid up as the pair exited the turn and made contact with DeFrance. The contact resulted in a flat tire on DeFrance’s ride, ending his run at the front.

Both drivers continued on as the race remained green over the final two laps. Simpson held on for the close win, edging Ihm at the line. Martin and Bair completed the top four. DeFrance limped across the line on three tires to salvage a 12th place finish while Aikey suffered mechanical problems late and finished 15th.

In the modified division, Dan Bohr made the best of his outside front row starting position to drive to the win. At the drop of the green in the 20-lap feature, Bohr took the quick lead as pole-sitter Darrin Walch gave chase.

Ron Barker, Layne Meyer and Kevin Pittman challenged at the front, as well, until a miscue by Pittman on the fourth circuit sent him reeling toward the back of the pack.

Following a lap five caution, Bohr took control once again as Walch, Barker and Meyer battled behind him. Mark Schulte, who started the 20-car event in the last row, masterfully worked his way through the field and settled into fifth place on lap nine.

Two laps later, Pittman worked his way through the pack and back into the top five as Meyer faded. Bohr continued to pace the field as Walch closed in on the leader with Barker and Schulte charging hard. Walch dipped his nose under the leader a couple of times, but was unable to secure the lead as Schulte went to work on Barker.

The top four remained unchanged until the last lap when Walch entered the final set of turns too hard. This allowed Bohr to pull away for the victory, his second career win in the series.

With Walch drifting to the high side of the speedway, Barker and Schulte raced side-by-side to the finish line for second. Schulte won the drag race at the line to take the position and to complete his impressive run. Walch held on for fourth ahead of Pittman.

In B modified action, Joe Docekal wowed the crowd in the 15-lap main event. After suffering a flat tire in an incident that brought out the caution flag on lap five, Docekal exited to the pits for a quick tire change.

After racing resumed, another quick caution allowed Docekal to return to the speedway on the lead lap. He rejoined the field at the tail and immediately went to work on making up lost ground.

As Docekal worked through traffic, Brian Kunkle was at the front of the pack, a position he earned on lap two. With just four laps remaining, Docekal entered the top five as Kunkle was receiving heavy pressure from Jeremy LaPlant for the lead.

As the leaders entered turn one, LaPlant pushed a little too hard in his bid for the lead and clipped the left rear of the leader. The contact sent Kunkle into a spin, cutting his left rear tire in the process. With both leaders now gone from the event, third-place running Jason Rohde inherited the lead with Koal Deering in second. Docekal restarted in third.

When racing resumed, Docekal went to work on the high side of the speedway and made his way around Deering one lap later. As the white flag was displayed, Docekal accomplished his mission as he passed Rohde for the lead and eventual win. Rohde and Deering ran second and third.

Tory Reicks was in the catbird’s seat in the 15-lap stock car feature. Reicks started the event from the pole, assumed command at the drop of the green and never looked back on his way to the victory.

Reicks received persistent pressure from Shawn Peter and Tom Schmitt throughout much of the event, but drove the top line to victory. Peter and Schmitt chased Reicks to the checkers.

The next event on the Climate Seal Insulation Indee Open Series schedule is set for Wednesday, June 6, when the series returns home to Independence Motor Speedway. The series then returns to Fayette County Raceway on Wednesday, June 27.

RESULTS

LATE MODEL

First heat – 1. 78 Dale Stolte, Springville; 2. 45 Curt Martin, Independence; 3. M2 Scott Megonigle, Cedar Rapids; 4. 4 Leon Thomsen, Waverly; 5. 17A Jamie Aikey, Cedar Falls; 6. 16 Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 7. 43 Jeremy Grady, Story City; 8. 37 Roger Ciesielski, Waterloo; DQ 22 Jill George, Cedar Falls.

Second heat – 1. 0 Jeff Bair, Solon; 2. 28C Terry Neal, Ely; 3. 11 Steve Ihm, Hazel Green, Wis,; 4. 99D Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 5. 9 Bobby Hansen, Center Point; 6. 77X Kurt Kile, Nichols; 7. 14B Levi Benn, Dyersville; 8. 4D Rick Dralle, Waterloo; 9. 145 Dale Hackwell Jr., Washburn.

Third heat – 1. 19 Darin Duffy, Hazleton; 2. 25 Chad Simpson, Mt. Vernon; 3. 77 Jeff Aikey, Waterloo; 4. 2P Jon Passick, Waterloo; 5. 88 Kevin Kile, West Liberty; 6. C10 Darin Burco, Independence; 7. 66 Chris Miller, Clermont; 8. 27B Travis Smock, Independence.

Feature – 1. Simpson; 2. Ihm; 3. Martin; 4. Bair; 5. Kevin Kile; 6. Duffy; 7. Kurt Kile; 8. Grady; 9. Stolte; 10. Bruening; 11. Megonigle; 12. DeFrance; 13. Hansen; 14. Passick; 15. Jeff Aikey; 16. Dralle; 17. Benn; 18. Ciesielski; 19. Jamie Aikey; 20. Burco; 21. Thomsen; 22. Miller; 23. Smock; 24. George; 25. Neal (DNS); 26. Hackwell (DNS).



MODIFIED
First heat – 1. 2 Joey Schaefer, Waterloo; 2. 5W Darrin Walch, Postville; 3. 26P Kevin Pittman, Waterloo; 4. 37B Ron Barker, Dubuque; 5. 41P Keith Pittman, Waterloo; 6. 70 Jerry King, Waterloo; 7. 7M Mike Darnall, West Union; 8. 57B Dennis Betzer, Central City; 9. 10J Jason Bakkum, Waukon; DNS 27M Mark Schulte, Delhi.

Second heat – 1. 21 Layne Meyer, West Union; 2. 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah; 3. 11B Mike Burbridge, Delhi; 4. 93 Craig Haupt, Sumner; 5. 70S Matt Sweeney, Waukon; 6. 91 Shawn Ryan, Waterloo; 7. 7J Jacob Seegmiller, Dubuque; 8. 98 Jason Snyder, Dunkerton; 9. 19D Darin Duffy, Hazleton; DNS 00 J.D. Auringer, Waterloo.

Feature – 1. Bohr; 2. Schulte; 3. Barker; 4. Walch; 5. Kevin Pittman; 6. Meyer; 7. Darnall; 8. Schaefer; 9. King; 10. Auringer; 11. Keith Pittman; 12. Seegmiller; 13. Snyder; 14. Betzer; 15. Haupt; 16. Burbridge; 17. Sweeney; 18. Ryan; 19. Duffy (DNS); 20. Bakkum (DNS).



STOCK CAR
First heat – 1. 97 Lynn Panos, Protivin; 2. 27P Shawn Peter, Mabel, Minn.; 3. 20 Greg Mitchell, Decorah; 4. 27T Tory Reicks, Waucoma; 5. 9 Patty Fosaaen, Waukon; 6. 60 Kurt Klauskopf, Decorah; 7. 1 Jeff Krambeer, Postville; 8. 30 Ken Even, Waterloo; 9. 17 Jason Niedert, Fairbank.

Second heat – 1. 69 Jake Ludeking, Decorah; 2. 18 Tom Schmitt, Independence; 3. Z53 Mark Jencks, Hawkeye; 4. 11X Rory Borsheim, Decorah; 5. 14 Mike Krambeer, Postville; 6. 56T Justin Temeyer, Independence; 7. 10 Bryan Webb, Decorah; DQ 26 Brian Irvine, Oelwein.

Feature – 1. Reicks; 2. Peter; 3. Schmitt; 4. Webb; 5. Borsheim; 6. J. Krambeer; 7. Niedert; 8. Mitchell; 9. Even; 10. Temeyer; 11. Panos; 12. Jencks; 13. Fosaaen; 14. Ludeking (DNS); 15. M. Krambeer (DNS); 16. Irvine (DNS); DQ Klauskopf.



B MODIFIED

First heat – 1. 42 Jr. Boyer, Calmar; 2. 38 Jeff Johnson, Alhpa; 3. 12D Joe Docekal, Dysart; 4. 14 Chad Dugan, Garber; 5. 0 Jason Rohde, Fayette; 6. 32 Adam Bolin, Waterloo; 7. 25 Alan Wessels, Strawberry Point; 8. 80 Tom Rooney, Hampton; 9. 34 Jeremy Schaufenbuel, New Hampton.

Second heat – 1. 47J Jeremy LaPlant, Elgin; 2. 20 Brian Kunkle, Oelwein; 3. 1D Koal Deering, Postville; 4. 12F Travis Flack, Postville; 5. 88X Jimmy Broszeit, Postville; 6. 92 Craig Cordes, Cedar Falls; 7. 88 Jon Wilhelmi, Maynard; 8. 17 Dawn Krall, Waterloo.

Feature – 1. Docekal; 2. Rohde; 3. Deering; 4. Johnson; 5. Wessels; 6. Flack; 7. LaPlant; 8. Schaufenbuel; 9. Krall; 10. Cordes; 11. Kunkle; 12. Broszeit; 13. Wilhelmi; 14. Bolin; 15. Boyer; 16. Rooney; 17. Dugan.